Catharanthus plant named ‘Sunnichitaro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Catharanthus  plant named ‘Sunnichitaro’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively large light red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Catharanthus roseus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNNICHITARO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Catharanthus plant,botanically known as Catharanthus roseus and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘Sunnichitaro’.

The new Catharanthus plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to develop new freely branching and vigorousCatharanthus plants with upright plant habit and numerous attractiveflowers.

The new Catharanthus plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2006 of aproprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code numberCasp2-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code number Cacv10-1, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Catharanthus plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross- pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Catharanthus plant by vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan since April, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this newCatharanthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Catharanthus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunnichitaro’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunnichitaro’ as a new and distinctCatharanthus plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Relatively large light red purple-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Catharanthus have larger leaves than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Catharanthus and the female parent        selection differ in flower color as plants of the female parent        selection have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Catharanthus are more upright than and not        as trailing as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Catharanthus and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have darker-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of theCatharanthus roseus ‘Sunnichipink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.20,523. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan, plants of the new Catharanthus differed from plants of‘Sunnichipink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Catharanthus were more upright than and not        as trailing as plants of ‘Sunnichipink’.    -   2. Plants of the new Catharanthus were taller than plants of        ‘Sunnichipink’.    -   3. Plants of the new Catharanthus had longer and thicker lateral        branches with longer internodes than plants of ‘Sunnichipink’.    -   4. Plants of the new Catharanthus had larger leaves with longer        petioles than plants of ‘Sunnichipink’.    -   5. Plants of the new Catharanthus had slighter smaller flowers        than plants of ‘Sunnichipink’.    -   6. Flower petals of plants of the new Catharanthus were shorter        and broader than flower petals of plants of ‘Sunnichipink’.    -   7. Plants of the new Catharanthus and ‘Sunnichipink’ differed        slightly in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Catharanthus plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Catharanthus plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunnichitaro’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunnichitaro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late autumn and winter in15-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercialproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were fourmonths old when the description and photographs were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Catharanthus roseus ‘Sunnichitaro’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Catharanthus roseus identified as code number Casp2-1, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Catharanthus roseus identified as code number Cacv10-1, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at 30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five            weeks at 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six            weeks at 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; freely basal            branching habit with numerous lateral branches developing            per plant; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 23.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 36.2 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 24.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3.4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 145A overlain with close to 181D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 8.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C; venation,            close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 144A; venation, close to 145C.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 6.8 mm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145C overlain with            close to 70C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about 24 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright or outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering habit.—Plants begin flowering about two to three            weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden,            plants flower continuously from the early summer to late            autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.1 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 3.4 cm.        -   Tube length.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Tube diameter, at the base.—About 1.2 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 3.4 mm.            Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 62A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl fused at            the base into a tube. Petal length from throat: About            2.2 cm. Petal width: About 2.4 cm. Petal shape: Broadly            obovate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:            Sparsely pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper            surface: Close to N66C; towards the throat, close to 63A.            Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to 69D; towards            the margins, close to N66D. Petal, fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 68B; towards the throat, close to 63A.            Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 62D; towards            the margins, close to 65A. Throat: Close to 154D. Tube:            Close to 154C overlain with close to 37C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx with five            sepals fused towards the base. Sepal length: About 5.5 mm.            Sepal width: About 0.8 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal            apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, immature and            mature, upper surface: Close to 143A. Color, immature and            mature, lower surface: Close to 143A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.7 mm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.            Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Stamen length: About 3.1 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly            elliptic. Anther size: About 1.2 mm by 2.9 mm. Anther color:            Close to 1C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to            2D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            2.8 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma shape:            Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Ovary            color: Close to 144B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Catharanthus.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain    and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Catharanthus plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Catharanthus plant named‘Sunnichitaro’ as illustrated and described.